Canada



E. WILSON.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. l6. I918.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

EDWARD WILSON, 0F VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented NOV. 18, 1919.

Application fil ed December 16, 1918. Serial No. 266,901.

fire escapes, and the object of my inventionis to provide a practical and easily operated device by the use of wh1ch escape is effected from burning buildings, which is adapted to remain as a permanent part of the building structure, and which is simple and inexpensive.

I attain this object by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an inside elevation of the lower part of a window casing, showing my device in place, folded.

2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the device opened out.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing the device ready for use.

Similar figures of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

1 indicates the window casing underneath the sill of which in the wall of the room is formed a recess 2 normally closed by a door 3. Within this recess is erected a strong metal plate 4;, which plate is secured rigidly in place by any suitable means, its lower end being turned at right-angles to form a foot 5 through which bolts may be passed to secure it to the floor while its upper end is provided with a hinge (3 by means of which an arm 7 is connected to plate l, which arm 7 is capable of being folded downwardly to lie flat on the plate, as shown in Fig. 1, or swung outwardly to a horizon tal position, as shown in 2 and 3. Adjacent the free end of the arm 7 and operating in a slot or notch 8 a sheave 9 is rotatably mounted while hingedly connected to its underside is a brace member 10 capable of folding againstthe arm but adapted to swing downwardly when the arm is horizontal so that its lower end, which is preferably reduced as at 17, may engage a pocket 18 in a step 11 formed on the face of a plate 12 secured to the front of the building, the purpose of the brace being to support the arm 7 under the weight of a person depending therefrom. 13 indicates a rope retained normally coiled up within the recess 2 and provided at one end with a ring 14 adapted to hook over a swivel hook 15 secured to plate 4 when the rope is in use, while 16 indicates a receptacle, such as a sack, into which a child or infirm person may be placed, so as to be lowered to the ground by the rope, suitable hooks being provided within the recess on which tohang the sack and also the rope when not in use.

The manner in which my device is used, and its utility, will be apparent, as it will be seen that it is normally retained as a per manent part of the room within the closed recess or cupboard 2 but that on a fire taking place, it is immediately available by opening the door 3. The arm is then swung out of the open window and the bracepositioned in the step so as to maintain the arm horizontal, after which the rope is taken and one end dropped to the ground, the other end being hooked to hook 15 or secured to any other suitable point, when the inmates may drop down the rope themselves, or they may be lowered by another, either in the sack or clinging to the rope.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have devised a simple and inexpensive fire escape which is at all times immediately available for use in case of fire to afford a ready means of escape.

What I claim as my invention is:

A fire escape comprising a vertical post member secured within a room having two folding sections pivoted together and adapted to be folded one against the other and against the post when not in use, said sections being capable of being unfolded to extend eXteriorly of the room so that the foot of one section may be braced against the outside wall of the room to support the other section in a horizontal position, the

latter section being provided with a sheave on its outer end, and a rigid step for carrying the end of the bracing member.

Dated at Vancouver, B. (1., this 29th day of November, 1918.

EDWARD "WILSON. 

